Power of hydrogen shown-off at DNV Cumbrian test site.
[News&Star] THE POWER of hydrogen and its uses to society was shown-off to the Mayor of Carlisle and representatives from Cumbria Local Enterprise Partnership and the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy on Tuesday.The Decarbonised Gas Alliance UK Roadshow 2021 stopped at the DNV Research and Development this week which is based at RAF Spadeadam in Gilsland.
DNV work to assure society that hydrogen is safe to power appliances and transport. Their work is hailed as the “the unseen piece of the hydrogen jigsaw” as the UK looks to reduce harmful Carbon emissions to net zero by 2050.
The Decarbonised Gas Alliance, made up of nearly 30 organisations, is touring the country to promote the applications of hydrogen moving forward. As part of the event, a hydrogen fuel cell powered car was shown-off and a set of mock homes heated by a hydrogen boiler.
The hybrid vehicle is hailed as a major step in efforts to assure the public hydrogen is viable and realistic as an energy source. The alliance’s mission is now to urge the UK Government to deliver on the infrastructure needed.
Mayor of Carlisle Pamela Birks spoke at the event, telling the attendees that she and the council support efforts to achieve net zero.
“Carlisle City Council may not have been the first to embrace a vote to declare a climate emergency but we’re at the forefront of councils across the country.
“We all owe this to ourselves, to our future generations, the research itself is great that you’ve been able to visit so many places. We have to work together.”
A visit to “Hy Street” demonstrated how hydrogen can be used to safely heat a home.
Gary Tomlin of DNV said:
We have built infrastructure here deliberately with leaks and measured how the hydrogen tracks through the ground.
“All the research we’ve undertaken shows that we can do this, we can convert to hydrogen and operate a gas system safely.”
The mayor asked if there is an difference in service for the consumer but DNV said that a hydrogen powered boiler keeps the home warm with the same efficiency as natural gas.
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Tim Howard of Northern Gas Networks, a key client, said:
A lot of the appliances are a lot more efficient, there’s a lot less radiated heat.
Ian Wheeler of Cumbria Local Enterprise Partnership said that he wants to see the clean energy solutions planned in the area brought to life, benefitting Cumbria’s economy and the net zero agenda.
Cumbria is well placed to be a major clean energy provider for the UK.
He said that as well as the research and developments around hydrogen at Gilsland, there is “great potential” on the West coast of Cumbria.
READ the latest news shaping the hydrogen market at Hydrogen Central
Power of hydrogen shown-off at DNV’s Cumbrian test site, 27 October 2021
